Carton dispenser camming system

ABSTRACT

A dispenser camming system for carton members which engages and lowers a member from a first point to a second point. A toothed pick is raised to first engage the member at the first point, and releases the member when lowered to the second point. The toothed pick is rotated via linkage to a cam follower which tracks a cam surface to reciprocate the pick out of and into an engaging configuration as the pick is raised and lowered. The cam surface is formed to delay movement of the pick from a non-engaging position to the engaging position. Reverse-directional movement of the cam follower in the path of the cam is prevented by means of a spring member. The disposition of the toothed pick is adjustable so as to adjust the pressure applied by it to the member. A pair of gripping surfaces are arranged to secure a plurality of members therebetween, releasing the member for engagement and separation of one of the members by the toothed pick. Means are provided for predeterminedly adjusting the spacing between the toothed pick and the bottom of the gripping surfaces so as to accommodate the camming system to different depth members.

United States Patent [191 Fries (IARTON DISPENSER CAMMING SYSTEM [75] Inventor: Harry L. Fries, Yucaiba, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Dolco Packaging Corporation,

Burbank, Calif.

[22] Filed: July 17, 1972 [21] Appl. l lo.: 272,600

[52] US. Cl 221/213, 74/89, 74/99 R, 214/85 K, 221/238 [51] Int. Cl 3231 7/04, B65h 1/06 [58] Field of Searc 221/223, 213, 214, 221/215, 236, 238, 221, 251, 298; 74/89, 99 I R; 214/85 K, 8.5 R

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerFrancis J, Bartuska Att0rney-R0brt Berliner et a1.

11] 3,782,591 Jan.l,1974

[57] ABSTRACT A dispenser camming system for carton members which engages and lowers a member from a first point to a second point. A toothed pick is raised to first en gage the member at the first point, and releases the member when lowered to the second point. The toothed pick is rotated via linkage to a cam follower which tracks a cam surface to reciprocate the pick out of and into an engaging configuration as the pick is raised and lowered. The cam surface is formed to delay movement of the pick from a non-engaging posi tion to the engaging position. Reverse-directional movement of the cam follower in the path of the cam is prevented by means of a spring member. The disposition of the toothed pick is adjustable so as to adjust the pressure applied by it to the member. A pair of gripping surfaces are arranged to secure a plurality of members therebetween, releasing the member for engagement and separation ofone of the members by the toothed pick. Means are provided for predeter minedly adjusting the spacing between the toothed pick and the bottom of the gripping surfaces so as to accommodate the camming system to different depth members. V

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 1 74 SHEET 1 [1F 2 PAIENTEDJAN 7 M914 PRIOR ART 4 PRIOR ART SHEET 2 (IF 2 1 CARTON DISPENSER CAMMING SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the field of camming systems, particularly with respect to carton dispenser camming systems for engaging and moving a carton from a first point to a second point.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In convention carton 4 dispenser camming systems which are used to separate single cartons from a stack, the cartons are placed between a pair of gripping plates with a toothed, pull-down pick disposed on the outer side of each of the plateseThe pick is raised relative to the plates to contact the carton, trailing thereon until a gripping point is reached. The pick then pulls down and the carton retracts, the carton contacting a moving belt whereupon the carton is conveyed to a loading station. The pick is secured centrally on a rotatable rod journaled through uprights secured to a platform. The rod is connected via linkage to a cam follower for rotation with the follower. As the platform is raised, the cam follower travels along a path determined by a cam of selected configuration so raised as to rotate the pick inwardly to engage a portion of the bottom carton. In prior devices, the pick engages the carton at a bottom portion thereof and continues to engage the carton, scraping it as it moves to the top portion of the carton. Thereafter, the platform is lowered and the cam fol lower retraces its steps releasing the carton. The platform, at that point, has been raised sufficiently to sup port the carton. The platform then travels downwardly, the pick pulling down the bottom carton, and extends below a moving belt allowing the carton to be carried off by the belt.

It has been found that the scraping which occurs during the initial engagement of the pick causes damage to the carton and forms scrape lines on the carton which have been found to be aesthetically undesirable. This damage is particularly evident with modern, polymer foam cartons, such as is used to pack eggs. Depending on the type of material used for the carton, it has been found necessary to provide a system for adjusting the pressure of the pick with respect to the carton which is to be dispensed. Further, it has been found to be necessary to adjust the spacing of the platform relative to the bottom of the gripping plates so that the plates can be raised and lowered to accommodate the machine to different depths of carton members such as the cartons themselves, filler flats, and the like. Patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,087,937 and 2,489,096.

The present invention provides an improved carton dispenser camming system for separating an individual carton member from a stack of carton members with out scraping the carton as the carton is engaged. In addition, the engaging pick is adjustable to provide varying degrees of pressure on the carton when it is engaged and the supporting platform may be raised and lowered relative to the gripping plates to accommodate the dispensing system to different depths of carton members.

Specifically, a toothed pick is raised to first engage the member at the first point, and releases the member when lowered to the second point. The toothed pick is rotated via linkage to a cam follower which tracks a cam surface to reciprocate the pick out of and into an engaging configuration as the pick is raised and lowered.

The advantages of this invention both as to its construction and mode of operation, will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by refer ence to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of the main portions of the carton dispenser system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a typical carton which may be used with the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the cartons depicted in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a prior art cam used to explain the invention;

FIG. 5 (a-g) are illustrative views of the various positions of an engaging pick when incorporated in the prior art cam of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the cam utilized in the present invention and incorporated in the system of FIG. I;

FIG. 7 (a-g) are illustrative views of the various positions of the engaging pick operable with the cam of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of the cam of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the engaging pick utilized in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a side view, partly in section, of the engaging pick of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an edge view of a portion of the camming system of FIG. 1, illustrating the depth adjustment mechanism utilized in the system; and

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of the depth mecha nism of FIG. 11, illustrating the adjustment mechanism thereof.

' DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. I there is shown a carton dispensing system in simplified form which is used to separate single cartons from a stack III disposed in the dispenser. The type of carton'that can be handled by the system is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprises an egg carton 12 having molded top and bottom halves 14 and 16, respectively, which are joined by a hinge line 18. The egg cartons are placed in a stack 10 which is shown in shadow in the dispenser. The dispenser holds the stack of egg cartons between a pair of flat gripping plates 20 and 22, the inner surfaces of the gripping plates being formed of textured rubber 24, to provide a friction gripping action. The plates 20 and 22 are movable inwardly and outwardly as shown by the ar rows 25 in accordance with the movement of a toothed pick 26., positioned on each outer side of the plates. It should be noted that the system is operative with other carton members, such as filler flats, as well as with all materials such as plastic foam, pressed cardboard, fiberboard, and the like.

The dispensing system of FIG. I is symmetrical so that the left side thereof is a mirror image of the right side and for all further discussion only the left side will be referred to. As will be explained hereinafter, the pick 26 on each side of the plates is moved up into contact with a dependent portion of the carton. In the carton illustrated in FIG. 3 the egg shaped portion 28 on the end of the carton is contacted. It should be understood that, depending upon the width of the pick, as much as or as little as the portion of the carton as desired may be so contacted by the pick. As the pick is raised by the system, it contacts the bottom carton of the stack at the side 28 and then as the pick is lowered it pulls the carton down, retracts and allows the carton to drop onto a moving belt 30 where the carton is conveyed to a loading station, the belt moving in the direction of the arrow 32.

The pick 26 is secured centrally on a rod 34 so as to rotate therewith. The rod 34 is journaled through uprights 36 and 38 which continue downwardly and are secured to a platform 40. The rod 34 is connected via a linking arm 42, for rotation therewith which in turn is provided at one end with a cam follower 44. As the platform 40 is raised (by means not shown) as indicated by the arrow 46, the cam follower travels along the path determined by the cam 48 so that as the platform 40 is raised, the rod 34 rotates thereby rotating the pick 26 inwardly to engage a portion of the bottom of the carton 12. The raising and lowering of the platform 40 operates simultaneously with the outward and inward movement of the plates and 22 by means of a camming mechanism (not shown), as indicated by the dotted lines 51.

In order to more clearly understand the operation of the pick 26, reference is made to FIG. 4 wherein a prior art cam 49 and the operation thereof in a system similar to that of FIG. I will be explained. In FIG. 4, the cam follower 44 is shown in engagement with the cam 49. As the cam follower 44 reaches the vertical portion 50 of the cam 49, the pick 26 continues upwardly, the result of which is a scraping of the carton as indicated by the scrape lines 52 in FIG. 3. This scraping initially occurs when the follower 44 reaches, point 54 on the cam, and the pick engages, the carton in the region indicated in FIG. 3 at 56. At the point 58 on the cam, the pick 28 reaches the region 60 on the carton, scraping as it moves. Thereafter, the platform 40 is lowered and the cam follower retraces its steps releasing the carton at point 54 on the cam. The vertical distance between the pick 26 and the platform 40 is equal to the distance between the region 60 and the bottom of the carton so that the edges of the carton are supported by the pair of platforms 40 which in their travel downwardly extend below the moving belt 30 allowing the released bottom carton to be carried off by the belt 30.

In order to further explain the operation of the prior art cam illustrated in FIG. 4, and the various positions of the cam follower, the various positions are designated in FIG. 4 by numerals (a-g). In FIG. 5 the various positions of the toothed pick 26 as rotated by the rod 34 are shown in FIGS. 5 (a-g) which correspond to the positions a through g of FIG. 4 respectively. At position 4a, the toothed pick 26 is angled back as shown in FIG. 5a. As the cam follower 44 moves along the cam 49 surface it reaches position 4b whereupon the angled slot 64 causes a rotation of the pick to the position shown in FIG. 5b. As the cam follower travels up the vertical portion 50 of the cam 48, the disposition of the pick 26 remains the same. It is during this travel from position 4b to position 4c that the pick scrapes the carton 12. As the platform 40 of FIG. I continues to move upwardly, the cam follower reaches position 4d and is separated from the cam. However, it is maintained in its former position as a result of the frictional engagement with the carton I2. Thereafter, the platform 40 is moved downwardly so that the cam follower returns to its position 4e (original position 4c) and thereafter to position 4f (original position 4b) with the pick 26 still maintaining its vertical position. Thereafter the cam follower is again moved back to position 4g (original position 4a) where the pick is again disposed at an angle, as shown in FIG. 5g, and the carton is released.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown a cam 64 of the present invention whose use eliminates the scratch marks 52 of FIG. 3 from the cartons. The cam 64 prevents the toothed pick from contacting the carton 12 until it reaches a point equivalent to the point 58 on the prior art cam, equivalent to. the region 60 on the carton illustrated in FIG. 3. The cam 64 of FIG. 6 includes a mounting plate 66 upon which the cam 64 is positioned and a biasing spring 68 which is secured at one end to a side wall 70 which forms a channel for the cam. In addition a second side wall 71 forms a channel on the opposite side of the cam. The cam 64 is shaped so that the cam follower 44 travels around its perimeter and back to its starting point, aided as it travels over the top point 72 of the cam by the force of a spring 68.

In operation of the cam 64 of FIG. 6 the positions a through g are used to designate the various positions of the toothed pick 26 shown in FIGS. 7a through 7g respectively. When the cam follower 44 is at position a equivalent to position a in FIG. 4, the pick 26 has the position shown in FIG. 7a, i.e., it is at an angle. As the platform 40 moves up, the cam follower moves vertically. Therefore, the rod 34 does not rotate and the disposition of the pick 26 is maintained at the same angle until the point e is reached on the cam. At that point the spring 68 which bends toward the side wall 70 to accommodate movement of the cam follower 44 forces the cam follower 44 onto the top surface 74 of the cam.

At this point mention can be made of the spring 75 shown in FIG. I. The spring75 is connected to the platform 40 and to the rod 34 so as to bias the cam follower outwardly as the spring 68 pushes it inwardly. The spring moment of the spring 68 assures that as the cam follower reaches the point d in FIG. 6 it will travel to point e and will not travel back into the channel 76. After the cam follower has reached the point d, the platform 40 begins to lower causing the cam follower to travel to position e. During such travel the pick 26 assumes a vertical position as shown in FIG. 7e where it engages the carton for the first time at the region 60 of FIG. 3. Thereafter, the cam follower moves to positionf(equivalent to position fin FIG. 4) and then as a result of outward bias of the spring 75, to position g (equivalent to position 3 in FIG. 4). During its travel from position f to position g, the cam follower returns the pick to its angled disposition thereby releasing the carton. Thus, as can be readily seen, the scraping is eliminated from the carton with the cam arrangement of FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 8 there is shown an alternative embodiment wherein the cam 82 is defined by a completely enclosed track 84. In such an arrangement it would only be necessary to rely on a force of the spring 75 to guide the cam follower 44 around the track.

Referring now to FIG. 9 and 10 the toothed pick 26 is shown in greater detail. The pick 26 contains a front flat member 92 which may be beveled at its front end 94 and formed with a serrated edge 96 which is utilized to grasp the cartons. The central rear surface of the plate 92 contains a U-shaped channel 98 therein. In addition a plate 102 is welded to the bottom surface of the plate 92 and extends rearwardly therefrom. The plate 92 has a greater widththan the U-shaped channel 98 and together there forms a slot 99.

In addition, the plate 102 contains openings 104, 106 and 108 spaced centrally along the longitudinal axis of the plate 102. The pick 26 further comprises a generally Lshaped bracket 112 formed with horizontal and vertical legs 114 and 116. The horizontal leg 114 is adapted to fit into the opening 98. A hollow cylindrical member 118 is welded to the rear surface of the vertical leg 116. An angle iron 124 is inserted in the hollow cylindrical member 110 and is of sufficient diameter so that after the horizontal leg 114 is inserted into the slot 99 the L-shaped bracket may adjustably be secured to the plate 102 by inserting the pick 124 through the hollow cylindrical member 118 and into one of the openings 104, 106 or 108.

In addition, the top of the vertical leg 116 is turned in to form a hooked section 126 which enables the pick 26 to be secured to the rod 34. The adjustment of the L-shaped bracket 112 onto the plate 92 allows the pick 26 to be adjusted so as to apply a predetermined amount of pressure on the object to be secured thereby. For the least amount of pressure, such as where foamed cartons are to be engaged by the pick, the opening 104 would be utilized. If additional pressure is needed such as for use with a pulp carton the opening 106 could be utilized. The opening 108, and therefore greater pressure, would be utilized where filler flats made of pulp are being dispensed.

Referring back to FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIGS. 11 and 12, to raise and lower the carton dispensing machine to different depths, there is provided a slidable bracket mechanism 132 on the outer surface of each of the plates and 22. The bracket mechanism is formed of a rectangular plate 134 which is vertically positioned on the plates 20 and 22 by means of horizontally spaced U-shaped slots 136 and 138 which mate with horizontally spaced dowels 142 and 144, respectively,

permanently fixed to the plates 20 and 22. In addition, the rectangular plates each have arms 146 and 148 which extend from the ends of the plate downwardly and terminate at rollers 152 and 154 respectively, which are movable on the top surface of the plates 40. When the plates 20 and 22 move outwardly and inwardly during the operation of the machine, the arms I46 and 140 will move along the platform due to the rollers 152 and 154. Thus, as can be readily seen the member 134 can be adjusted by means of the slots 136 and 138 so that the plates 20 and 22 can be raised and lowered with respect to the platform thereby accommodating the machine to different depths for different sized carton members.

I claim 1. A carton member dispensing system operable to engage and move a carton member'from a first predetermined point to a second predetermined point comprising:

means for engaging said carton member at said first predetermined point in an engaging position;

cam follower means operatively connected to a stationary cam member, said cam follower means being operatively connected to said engaging means and movable from a rear position, in which saidengaging means is not engaged, to a forward position, in which said engaging means is engaged, said cam member defining a cam surface operative with said cam follower to move said engaging means from said second predetermined point to said first predetermined point in a nonengaging position and from said first predetermined point to said second predetermined point in an engaging position;

means for preventing reverse-directional movement at said first predetermined point of said cam follower during non-engagement of said engaging means; and

means comprising a biasing spring operatively associated with said cam follower to move said cam follower to said rear position subsequent to said second predetermined point.

2. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 in which a portion of said cam surface is formed to delay movement of said engaging means from said nonengaging position to said engaging position.

3. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 and further including means for adjusting the pressure applied by said engaging means to said member.

4. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carton dispensing system includes a pair of gripping surfaces arranged to secure a plurality of members therebetween, and release said members when said engaging means separates one of said mem bers from said plurality of members.

5. A carton dispensing system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising means for predeterminedly raising and lowering said engaging means with respect to said gripping surfaces for accommodating said camming system to different depth members. 

1. A carton member dispensing system operable to engage and move a carton member from a first predetermined point to a second predetermined point comprising: means for engaging said carton member at said first predetermined point in an engaging position; cam follower means operatively connected to a stationary cam member, said cam follower means being operatively connected to said engaging means and movable from a rear position, in which said engaging means is not engaged, to a forward position, in which said engaging means is engaged, said cam member defining a cam surface operative with said cam follower to move said engaging means from said second predetermined point to said first predetermined point in a nonengaging position and from said first predetermined point to said second predetermined point in an engaging position; means for preventing reverse-directional movement at said first predetermined point of said cam follower during non-engagement of said engaging means; and means comprising a biasing spring operatively associated with said cam follower to move said cam follower to said rear position subsequent to said second predetermined point.
 2. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 in which a portion of said cam surface is formed to delay movement of said engaging meanS from said non-engaging position to said engaging position.
 3. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 and further including means for adjusting the pressure applied by said engaging means to said member.
 4. A dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said carton dispensing system includes a pair of gripping surfaces arranged to secure a plurality of members therebetween, and release said members when said engaging means separates one of said members from said plurality of members.
 5. A carton dispensing system in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising means for predeterminedly raising and lowering said engaging means with respect to said gripping surfaces for accommodating said camming system to different depth members. 